Tracing the Tribe is a blog about Jewish genealogy - All the developments, tools and resources you'll need to peer more closely into your family tree. Created in 2006 at JTA's request, it is now independent.

09 April 2008

How should genealogists handle sensitive data and issues discovered in their research? What are the implications of including, or excluding, information in your family tree?

How does your decision effect those who come after you seeking genealogical information? What are the medical, ethical and halachic implications of these decisions regarding adoption, assisted reproduction and genetic disorders?

To help answer these important questions, the San Diego Jewish Genealogy Society has a program that should be of great interest to all genealogists - Jewish or not - at its next meeting, at 1pm, Sunday, April 13, at the Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla (members, free; others $3).

Stephanie Weiner will present "Non-Traditional Families: Issues of Privacy and Confidentiality in Constructing A Genealogical Tree."

She will present ways to deal with sensitive data and issues when non-traditional families are involved. What are the halachic, medical and ethical implications of decisions to include or exclude material such as those regarding adoption and assisted reproduction? With more genetic disorders being identified, and donor sperm conceptions, the issues will become more pertinent.

What are the implications of including, or excluding, information in your family tree? How does your decision effect those who come after you seeking genealogical information?

As an adoptee, Stephanie has an abiding interest in access to vital records. She has worked with grassroots adoption organizations and has presented on the topic of adoption, orphans, and non-traditional families. Her most recent project has been the preparation of an online teaching module about adoption for the Jewish Education Council of Seattle.

A semi-retired librarian working part-time for the San Diego County Library system, she was a college and university librarian. Stephanie has been a speaker, since 2003, at IAJGS (International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies) annual conferences and has provided training in online genealogy for staff members and the general public. A featured speaker on genealogy for several San Diego County libraries, she has also presented at the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Washington (Seattle).

She is a member of the IAJGS Public Records Access and Monitoring Committee, the Genealogical Speakers Guild and the Association of Professional Genealogists.

2 comments:

Schelly - thanks for the information. I wandered over here from Randy's Genea-musings post.

I wish I could attend what looks like to be a great seminar tomorrow. But I'm in Chicago and I don't think I'll make it in time!

The concept of non-traditional families and genealogy has vexed me quite a bit, especially since I am part of the LGBT community. In fact back in October 2007 I posted about the topic at my blog. Check it out if you have a minute:

The Hidden - LGBT Family Members and genealogy.http://destinationaustinfamily.blogspot.com/2007/10/hidden-lgbt-family-members-and.html

About Me

Schelly Talalay Dardashti has tracked her family history through Belarus, Russia, Lithuania, Spain, Iran and elsewhere. A journalist, her articles on genealogy have been widely published. In addition to genealogy blogging (since 2006), she speaks at Jewish and general genealogy conferences, co-founded GenClass.com. Past president of the five-branched JFRA Israel, a Jewish genealogical association, she is a member of several professional organizations.

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